Catholic Churches of NCC includes: Saint Patrick Parish Seneca WI; Saint Philip Parish Rolling Ground WI; Saint Mary Parish Gays Mills WI; St James Cemetery Rising Sun WI; Kneeland Cemetery Seneca WI catholicchurchesofncc.com

Sunday, March 1^st, 2026

2^nd Sunday in Lent

St. Mary, St. Patrick, St. Philip Parishes

Mailing address for all three parishes:PO Box 35, Seneca WI 54654

Website:https://www.catholicchurchesofncc.com

Confessions: Normally, 30 minutes before  every Mass and by appointment.

Normal Monthly Eucharistic Adoration:

St. Patrick: First Friday after the 8:30 AM Mass

St. Philip: First Sunday after the 10:30 AM Mass

Mass Intentions This Week

Pastor: Fr. Tom Huff – Rectory 608-734-3252 email: frtomhuff@gmail.com

Bookkeeper, Bulletin, Mass Intentions, Membership: Kevin Murray 608-391-0434 or 608-734-3931

email: secretary@ncc.diolcparish.org

New Bulletin Information Deadline: Mondays at 6:00 PM. Bulletin is posted on our website.

UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS

Tri-Parish Adult Faith Study   Adult Faith Sessions will not be held during the Lenten Season. Sessions will resume on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at St. Mary’s at 7:00 PM. Please take advantage of these informational learning sessions and join us!

St. Philip Announcements:

St. Philip Candles: Contact Bonnie Murphy. The cost is $5 per candle.

Food Pantry items are needed. Please leave any gift at the rear of the Church.

THANK YOU to Johnson-One-Stop for their much appreciated donation to our parishes!

The St. Philip’s PCCW is sponsoring a service project to support Passages in Richland Center and Door of Hope in Viroqua. Door of Hope supports new moms and babies. Things they could use include diapers, baby blankets and baby clothing. Passages is an organization that gives support to women and families who find themselves in difficult situations and need a safe place to stay and, if necessary, help to start over. Items that are needed include:

Women’s underwear (S, M or L) Women’s and Men’s Deodorant

Baking Mixes (for baking with kids) Blankets

Baking Utensils and kitchen Supplies Dinnerware or Pots & Pans or Silverware

Please bring your items to St. Philip’s Church and place either in the back to church or in the basement. Please label which organization you would like to donate to. Cash donations and checks can be made out to St. Philip’s PCCW and we will issue one check or purchase items to donate. For questions and donating money, please contact Bonnie Murphy, Peggy Schmitt, Amy Murphy or Donna Bell. Thank you for your donations.

St. Mary Announcements:

Rosary – 30 minutes before Mass

First Sunday Potluck Brunch after Mass each first Sunday of the month. All are welcome, dish to share is appreciated, but not required. Next potluck is Sunday, April 5^th.

Saint Mary’s is open 7:00am – 6:00pm (winter hours) daily. Please feel free to come and pray and light a candle if you would like.

Food Pantry Donations can be left in the basket in the rear of the Church.

St. Patrick Announcements:

In need of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion! Anyone willing to volunteer your time to be an Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Saturday nights or Sunday mornings please text or call Sue Boland @ 608-851-0192.

Tri-Parish Announcements:

Adoration will be held at St. Mary on Saturday March 7^th, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Confession will be available starting at 2:30, Benediction at 3:00.

Lenten Stations of the Cross and Soup Supper will be held on all Wednesdays of Lent at St. Mary at 6:00pm. The soup supper will follow the service in the Church Hall. All are welcome.

The Weekly Bulletin is available on our parishes website, this is the link to the bulletin page, updated every Friday: https://www.catholicchurchesofncc.com/bulletins

Divine Mercy: St. Faustina writes: “Love casts out fear. Since I came to love God with my whole being and with all the strength of my heart, fear has left me. …God is love, and His Spirit is peace. I see now that my deeds which have flowed from love are more perfect that those which I have done out of fear. …I have placed my trust in God and fear nothing. (Diary, 589 )

Healing Mass at Saint Mary's Parish in Viroqua: On Monday, March 23^rd. 4:30 Adoration with Prayers and Confessions, 5:30 Mass, 6pm Prayer for healing , 7PM Individual Healing.

Other Announcements:

Holy Trinity Fish Fry, will be held at St. Wenceslaus Parish in Eastman, Friday, March 13th 5:00 – 9:00 pm. Cost is $15.00 per person, children ages 7 – 12 $10.00, children 6 and under are free. The proceeds will go to various parish projects.

From the Diocesan Office for Sacred Worship, the Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18. Lenten regulations are as follows:

1. Catholics who have celebrated their 14th birthday are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, all Fridays in Lent and Good Friday.

2. In addition to abstaining from meat, Catholics who have celebrated their 18th birthday, until they celebrate their 59th birthday, are to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Those who are bound to this regulation may eat only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maintain strength according to one’s needs but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.

A Sacred Heart Traveling Icon Prayer Service hosted by Trinity Council Knights of Columbus will take place at St. Wenceslaus in Eastman on Wednesday, March 4th, at 6:00 pm. This typically includes a Holy Hour with readings from Sacred Scripture and reflections from Pope Francis on the Sacred Heart, as well as the Divine Mercy Chaplet and prayers to the Sacred Heart. All are invited.

Tri-Parish Prayer List – We want to pray for the ill and others in our parishes who need ongoing prayer. To be placed on or to place someone on our prayer list, please call: Sue Peterson 608-735-4865, Bonnie Murphy 608-386-4954, or Ica Boylen 608-734-3287.

From the Priest’s Corner: Keeping Our Eyes Fixed On Jesus

Saint Paul reminds us to: Persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.

The Transfiguration is a glimpse of the glory that would be definitively revealed in Christ’s Resurrection, a ‘preview’, if you like, to strengthen the disciples, to give them hope during the coming troubles of life. No matter how bad things were to get, they had seen Jesus in heavenly brightness, identified by the Father as the beloved Son.

The Gospel account of the Transfiguration should play a similar role, both in the course of our Lenten journey and the journey of our entire life. It reminds us of the coming of the liturgical celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus and to those who remain faithful to Jesus and His teachings, glory in Heaven.

Lent is a time when we remember the suffering and death of Jesus for us. It is also a time that we should be preparing to celebrate His triumph over death by His Resurrection on Easter Morning. Similarly, Lent is a time when we reflect on our sinfulness and the need for God’s mercy to change for the better. And as Saint Paul says to persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus. In other words, to be aware of the triumph over sin and death which the Resurrection of Jesus reveals.

Nonetheless, although this gift of salvation has been revealed in Jesus, we are still for the moment called to bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, as Saint Paul teaches. He reminds us that already now amid the struggles of this life, we are called to one day share in the eternal life with God in heaven, which Jesus has made possible for us.

The Transfiguration belongs in Lent as a reminder of our goal of the divine glory revealed in the Resurrection. But it also reminds us of the need for God's grace and mercy, to rise above the passing things of this world, so as to hold firm to the divine life within us throughout our journey in life.

Domestic Church Retreat for Married Couples: On April 25 & 26, at the Franciscan Spirituality Center in LaCrosse, Jeff and Alice Heinzen are running a retreat for married couples. We are part of a growing marriage movement called Domestic Church that helps spouses grow in love and holiness together. More information coming!